Christmas "freezer" baking ahead baking and advice

This year, looks like we have a full house again (as well as company for 4 weeks from New Years eve on). Please send me your ideas and recipes for filling the freezer so I can get through the season with ease. I know some of you are Martha Stewart in the planning and baking arena and I am seeking help and advice as it isn't my forte (making martini's and skipping meals, supplementing the days with wine and cheese is more my scene). All help is appreciated, thank you.

Ha ha - I like your scene though too! If it were me I would have cookie dough made and frozen so you can feel very Martha stewart by cooking them up with no prep! You can freeze cakes, brownies etc and some slices that you can ice once they have thawed. What did you have in mind?

I have a blog with recipes on, and lots of cookie recipes that can be frozen before cooking - but the ladies here have so much more knowledge and great ideas than I could ever start to have!

http://justamumnz.com/sweet-treats/

Otherwise stock up on chip and dip, cheese and wine and everyone will be happy anyway!

I make things like choc chip biscuit mix and roll it into a round shape and freeze, then when needed just leave to thaw slightly, cut and bake. I Freeze cakes usually uniced, loaves and all sorts of slices. The ones I tend to freeze mostly are choc fudge and caramel. I don't tend to ice until ready to eat but that is a personal preference.
Choc, carrot and coffee cakes freeze well as does the light fruit cake I make. Loaves tend to be fruit and nut, but I do make and freeze muffins usually blueberry or other fruit. With the muffins pop them into a covered dish and heat them gently for a few mins in the oven, this freshens them and warms them.

Thank you for the ideas, I will fill the freezer with said suggestions, and supplement our cheese/cracker board with biscuits for the children, nothing like being prepared! Better start stocking the liquor cupboard so all are in great spirits!

Homemade pate's and hummus freeze well. I always make a double batche of pumpkin or kumera hummus, eat one and freeze the other. Mixed savouries, quiche as well as slices are a stand by in the freezer. Agree with others about freezing cookie dough and muffins, both sweet and savoury. Mooshiesmum has some great recipes too so do check out her link.

nikkib90, here's another option for you.

CARAMEL CRUMBLE
This slice is very like Tan Slice but just stirred together with no creaming of the butter and sugar. As its name suggests its topping is more crumbly but personally I like it better - to make and to eat! It freezes well too if you want to hide some away for another time - I have very successfully frozen this slice for at least 3 months.

Caramel Topping:
½ x 395g can sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp golden syrup,
¼ cup brown sugar
55g (2oz) butter

Mix all the topping ingredients together in a bowl over hot water for 5 minutes, then allow the mixture to cool slightly.
Base:
1½ cups flour.
1 tsp baking powder
115g (½ cup) sugar,
½ tsp vanilla essence,
115g (4oz) melted butter

Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl, then add the vanilla essence and the melted butter and mix to a fairly soft crumbly consistency. Press approximately two thirds-three quarters of this crumbly mixture into a greased sponge roll tin, then spread the caramel topping over. Sprinkle over the remaining crumble mixture.
Bake at 180ºC for 20-30 minutes.
Allow to cool then cut into fingers or squares.

Hope that helps. :-))

Also those lovely Tim Tam truffles keep so well in the freezer and I actually leave them in there and just take a few when needed. That is a great link to mooshiesmum's site - great recipes!

Awesome blog mooshiesmum

Old Fashioned Christmas Pudding

Ingredients .

175 gm plain flour
15 grams cocoa powder
2 tsp mixed spice
150 grams breadcrumbs
250 grams shredded suet
900 grams mixed dried fruit that includes
some shopped candied peel
100 grams roughly chopped prunes
4 lightly beaten eggs
8 tbs Guinness
3 tbs treacle
zest and juice of an orange
Preparation.
1.Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2.Slowly add the in all the remaining ingredients, mixing thoroughly.
3.Grease 2 medium sized bowls and divide the mixture between them.
4.Cover with greaseproof paper and steam for at least 6 hours or longer, checking regularly that the pans do not boil dry. The longer the pudding cooks the darker and tastier it will be.
5.Make the pudding at least a month before needed and store in a cool place. (I often keep the 2nd one for several months or even a year. They only improve with keeping.)
6.Reheat on the day for at least another 4 hours.
7.Serve with brandy butter, custard or whipped cream.

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roshu (780 780 positive feedback) 3:43 pm, Mon 18 Nov #1
Sugar Cookes

.

1/2 cups shortening
1/2 cups caster sugar
2 eggs beaten
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3 tablespoons vanilla essence
7 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Sugar or hundreds and thousands for sprinkling

Preparation.
1.Preheat your oven to 175 degrees celcius
2.In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth and silky.
3.Add beaten eggs, add sour cream, and vanilla.
4.In a separate bowl sift the flour, baking soda, and salt three times.
5.Add to the wet mixture slowly beating well till smooth mixture, cover bowl and chill until dough is firm.
6.Take chilled dough and roll into balls about the size of a ping pong ball. Flatten and sprinkle with sugar or hundreds and thousands. Place on baking paper-lined sheets or trays and bake at 175C for about 20 minutes - they should just be starting to turn brown on the edges.
7.Remove from oven, let rest and then transfer to wire rack to cool.
Makes about 5 dozen cookies.
.

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roshu (780 780 positive feedback) 3:47 pm, Mon 18 Nov #2
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients .

½ cup butter, softened
1½ cups packed brown sugar
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup white sugar
1 ½ tsp baking soda
¾ cup white chocolate chips
1 egg
1 cup dried cranberries
1 tbsp brandy

.Preparation.

1. Preheat oven to 190ºC. Grease baking trays.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and brandy. Combine the flour and baking soda; stir into the mixture. Mix in the white chocolate chips and cranberries. Drop heaped spoonfuls onto prepared baking trays.

3. Bake for 8-10 minutes in the preheated oven. For best results, take them out while they are still doughy. Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute on the baking trays

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roshu (780 780 positive feedback) 3:49 pm, Mon 18 Nov #3
Cinnamon-spiced Pavlova with vanilla mascarpone & butterscotch sauce

This heavenly layered meringue cake is so much more than a Pavlova. Bring it out for your next special occasion or family celebration. As the Pav does require quite a bit of prep, I usually make the meringue the day before I plan to serve it.

Ingredients
MERINGUE:
• 1 teaspoon cornflour
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 6 egg whites
• 1½ cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
MASCARPONE FILLING:
• 500 grams mascarpone
• 2 tablespoons cream
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE:
• 1 cup cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 50 grams butter
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
DECORATION:
1 cup cream, whipped
½ cup toasted flaked almonds
Grated chocolate to garnish

Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, line three baking trays with baking paper and draw an 18cm circle on each.
2. Sift the cornflour, cream of tartar, cinnamon and nutmeg together. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric beater until foamy then slowly add the sugar one tablespoon at a time constantly beating and allowing the sugar to be incorporated before adding the next amount.
4. When the mixture is thick, stiff and glossy, fold in the sifted spice mixture and the vinegar.
5. Divide the mixture evenly among your three circles, smoothing the tops with a spatula and place in the oven evenly spaced.
6. Bake for 5 minutes then lower the oven temperature to 140°C and bake a further 1 hour 10 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave meringues to completely cool. (You may have to circulate the position of the meringues layers in the oven depending on the consistency of the heat in the oven).
7. Meanwhile, place the mascarpone, cream and vanilla in a bowl and beat together until smooth.
8. For the butterscotch sauce, place all the ingredients in a saucepan over a medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Gently simmer for 5 minutes or until it thickens slightly then cool.
9. To assemble: Place one meringue layer on a serving platter, top with half the mascarpone filling and drizzle over one-third of the sauce. Repeat this process once more and sprinkle half the almonds over the top. Place the cake in the refrigerator for 1 hour before you serve. Finish the top with the whipped cream, drizzles of caramel, remaining almonds and a light grating of grated chocolate.

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roshu (780 780 positive feedback) 3:57 pm, Mon 18 Nov #4

Christmas Pudding
Ingredients

3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Milk
1 Cup Mixed Fruit ( I use raisins or sultanas)
2 Tabs Butter
1 Cup Flour
1/2 tsp each Lemon, Almond & Vanilla Essence
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Mixed Spice
1 Tsp Vinegar

Method

Place sugar, fruit, milk & butter in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Leave to cool slightly add Baking Soda stir through then add remaining ingredients. Place in well greased basin but do not cover. Place bowl in saucepan with boiling water coming no more than halfway up the basin. Cover the saucepan with the lid. Steam for 1 hour! Check with skewer, as there is no lid on basin this is easy to do to check if cooked. Lift out place plate on top of basin and carefully tip over.

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denbru (195 195 positive feedback) 2:16 pm, Wed 20 Nov #1
I make that pudding. It is called Granny,s steam pudding, mine has golden syrup in it not not vinegar. Very nice.

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Dinner most nights for January can be barbecued meat (hand a man the tongs and you can forget about that part of the meal),salad (guests might help with that too and some lovely new potatoes or artisan bread. Easy! Follow with a platter of stone fruit or strawberries and ice ream. Coffee with Christmas cake will finish it off. Repeat each day and you will have not complaints especially as you have planned to keep them well lubricated.

Thank you I had wondered if I could freeze these.

The Christmas Pud (with Stout) recipe sounds like a winner .

christmas cookies, gingerbread men, nigella's christmas stars, shortbread, rocky road, apricot slice, fruit mince pies, choc chippie cookies, ginger slice, tim tam truffles, home made coconut ice, home made fudge, rolled pav, sponge for trifles and other desserts, cheese balls, home made christmas puds. all these are down in my freezer or will be over the next 2 weeks. also have begun to stock up on: samosa's, mini spring rolls, surumi (sp), cooked prawns, salmon. been buying when on special and putting down in the freezer for parties, take a plate, etc. also frozen peas, beans, pastry, home made ice cream, breakfast sausages, speciality meats - all on special and just buying a wee bit each week then one final shop first week of dec with christmas club. store cupboard and plastic tubs have: crackers, anti pasta increds, reduced cream, maggi soups for dips etc, extra cheese as good for making the cheese balls, a variety of salted nuts and chips etc. menu's are all planned, pressi's all brought wrapped and or posted. just making the christmas crackers and the last of the bits for our christmas lights party on sun 30th - will potter away each day on something and we will rock on!

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